THE VOLUNTEERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6115, 23 March 1898, Page 4

THE VOLUNTEERS.

.-. i — , ♦— The annual smoke concert of the E Battery was held last night at the orderly- . room, which was '. t crowded to excess. Lieutenant Cowlishaw was in the chair,, and Major Day, Adjutant and Captain Hobday, Captains Dougall and Charle- . wood, Lieutenants Neave and Smith, exLieutenant Harris, Honorary Chaplain the Rev W. S. Bean, the veteran shot of the Battery in olden days, ex-Quartermaster-Sergeant Fox, representative non-com-missioned officers of all the city corps and many old members of the Battery were also present. The Chairman presented the following prizes, won during the year :— Ex-Captain Martin's cup, Sergeant Symes's detachment; spoons competition, Gunner Munns (scr) 79 points, and Gunner Oppenheim (handicap 20), score 64, total 84 points. Certificates of qualification for gunnery badges and prizes of £1 apiece were handed to exGunner (now Sergeant) G. Johnston, and Gunners A. G. Munns, F. Krue and A. G. Adams, Gunner Oppenheim received a hunting crop as a prize for the 100 yds and 220 yds races, and Gunner Dunn a similar prize for the wheel and boot races at the recent encampment. Quartermaster-Ser-geant Taylor, who is leaving the Battery after fourteen years of efficient service, was presented with a silver cake basket. S During the evening the following toats , were duly honoured : — " The Queen," "The Officer Commanding the District," " The Mounted and Ordnance Corps," " The North Canterbury Rifle Battalion," and "The E Battery." Songs were sung by Sergeant Colclough, Corporal Lezard, Rangefinder Burns, Gunner Wilson, Sergeant Beardsley, Gunner Turner, ex-Sergeant-Major Duncan, ex-Bombardier Mason and others. A company parade of the Canterbury ' Engineer Volunteers was held at the drill- ' shed last night. Captain Dougall was in ' command, assisted by Lieutenant Bridge- ' man, and fifty rank and file were on ! parade. After company drill the men were marched to the railway station to meet Sapper Lester and Sergeant Buntin 1 on their leturn from the Rifle Association J meeting at Oamaru, Sapper Lester having taken fourth place in the competition for s the New Zealand Champion Belt. The returning members were escorted by their comrades to the orderly-room, where their healths were heartily pledged.